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The 'Taxpayer March on Washington' proved that conservative protesters can turn out in impressive numbers to protest the direction of the Democratic-led federal government, but it also presented Republicans with a tricky task in figuring out how to marshal the energy on display on the Mall Saturday.
AP Photo

Only a handful of GOP lawmakers were on the roster of rally speakers – and those that did were conservatives like South Carolina Sen. Sen. DeMint, and Reps. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Pence of Indiana, and Tom Price of Georgia.

The common thread among the speakers, both the politicians and the leaders of various conservative groups, many of them with a libertarian tilt, was an assertion of American decline, and that the assembled protesters were the nation’s best hope of correcting course and reconnecting with its traditional values. But the values varied from speaker to speaker, with many concerned about fiscal failings, while others stressed individual rights and others warned of a descent into Socialism and a loss of the “American way.”

Most all of them, though, portrayed the assembled as the first line of defense against these varied national ailments. Rep. Blackburn told the crowd that “You have been called to serve liberty and to defend the futures of our children and grandchildren,” and Rep. Price told them that “"a new generation of patriots has emerged. You are those patriots."

Republican Party leaders seemed optimistic Saturday that they could harness the energy, which first emerged as widespread in February, when tens of thousands turned out to Tea Party protests around the country, leading to a larger turnout at Tax Day Tea Parties on April 15, and attracting even more attention this summer, when angry constituents turned out in droves to during the recently concluded congressional summer recess to voice their displeasure with their federal lawmakers.

“If the Republican Party will carry the banner for the people who are here today, I think the majority of Americans will come with us and I just hope the rest of the Republicans here in congress will be smart enough to see that,” Sen. DeMint told Fox News television host Glenn Beck – who has emerged as perhaps the star of the movement – during a special Saturday afternoon broadcast timed to coincide with the march.

DeMint, whose political action committee was a co-sponsor of the march, told Beck before his speech, “I really do believe that in 2006 and 2008, Republicans didn't just lose our right to govern, we lost our way. I mean, we lost those elections because we walked away from the principles that had drawn hundreds of thousands of people in the nation's capitol, to the tea parties all across the country and town hall meetings.”

But Beck seemed unconvinced, telling DeMint and Rep. Pence, who appeared with DeMint on Beck’s show via satellite before speaking to the rally – that the national Republican Party had yet to reach “a pivot point.”

“I’m a recovering alcoholic,” said Beck, “and I can tell you the moment I said ‘enough. I have to change my life or I will die.’ And I have not seen that from the Republican Party.”

Americans, Beck said, believe that Republicans have lost their way and that – even when they oppose Obama’s plans – they are doing so for political motivations, not philosophical ones.

“I don't care who you vote for. I really don't,” Beck said in introducing DeMint and Pence. “Vote for Republicans, Vote for a Democrat. I think, quite frankly, you vote for either of them right now, and you still haven't gotten it. And, they are both taking us into a land of gigantic government where they control everything through corruption and everything else.”

Perhaps nothing better illustrates the difficulty Republicans will have in winning over the Tea Party activists than their adulation of Beck, whose fiery populist rhetoric often attracts controversy.

At Saturday’s rally, some waved “Glenn Beck for President” signs and many activists attribute the idea for – and energy behind – the marches to Beck. During a March broadcast, he unveiled what he called The 9-12 Project in which he urged viewers to try to recreate the united America that emerged the day after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“It’s not about politics,” Beck said during the March broadcast. “You actually believe in something. And you thought for a while there your politicians did as well. And now you kind of realize well, maybe they don’t.”

As they marched today, the activists -- who chanted, “We own the dome,” while pointing at the Capitol -- sounded that same note.

“We used to be Republicans,” said Helen Benson of Jacksonville, Florida. “We didn’t like John McCain. The media liked John McCain.”

“They’re certainly not listening – Democrats or Republicans,” said Steve Cobb, who made it to Washington from Cordelle, Georgia with his wife, Sylvia.

More like affecting change in 2010, a warm up to 2012 - the Democrats are history - they had a chance to govern and with their messiah dictator Obama they've demonstrated Democrats are the party of Socialism.

Another hyperactive reaction by the cult group known as "conservatives". Seriously, do they have a position that they don't contradict the next day? "No indoctrination!!"--except we want the Bible taught in school. "Governemnt is the problem!!"--except when it serves conservative ends. "No public health care!!"--stay away from my medicare. "Let's secede!!!"---but first send U.S. fighters to patrol our border (Rick Perry). "Keep goverment out of my health care decisions!!"---except force people to the pro-life position...oh, and end of life decisions like Terri Schiavo (Michele Whacked-mann). Conservatives are a completely twisted cult group with the philosophical intellect of a top 40 DJ (read: Glenn Beck.)

Great, rethugs hate blacks, immigrants, poor people, gays, intellectuals, and pretty much everything except more profits for corporate CEOs, we get it. The thing I don't get is why they even bother trying to claim this is a Christian nation. These people are not Christians. They are gullible bigots. They are the contemporary version of McCarthy's soldiers, fighting against an imaginary outsider.

"Another hyperactive reaction by the cult group known as "conservatives". Seriously, do they have a position that they don't contradict the next day? "No indoctrination!!"--except we want the Bible taught in school. "Governemnt is the problem!!"--except when it serves conservative ends. "No public health care!!"--stay away from my medicare. "Let's secede!!!"---but first send U.S. fighters to patrol our border (Rick Perry). "Keep goverment out of my health care decisions!!"---except force people to the pro-life position...oh, and end of life decisions like Terri Schiavo (Michele Whacked-mann). Conservatives are a completely twisted cult group with the philosophical intellect of a top 40 DJ (read: Glenn Beck.)"